US accuses China of acting ‘irresponsible’ in stand-off at sea

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called China’s behavior during recent stand-off with an American warship “irresponsible” at a press conference on Thursday.

In early December, Chinese warships confronted the USS Cowpens
guided missile warship in the South China Sea after it was
reportedly conducting surveillance on Beijing’s new aircraft
carrier, the Liaoning.

According to U.S. officials, the Chinese ordered the Cowpens to
stop in its tracks, but the Navy refused because it was operating
in international waters. The Chinese ship then attempted to cut
off the Cowpens' path by stopping in front of it, forcing the
Navy to take evasive maneuvers in order to avoid a collision.

"That action by the Chinese, cutting in front ...100 yards
out in front of the Cowpens, was not a responsible action,"
Hagel said, according to Agence France-Presse. "It was
unhelpful, it was irresponsible."

Hagel added that the incident demonstrated the need for the
United States and China to work together on establishing clear
communications protocols in Pacific waters.

"That's the kind of thing that's very incendiary, that could
be a trigger or a spark that could set off some eventual
miscalculation," he told the conference. Both counties need
"to have a mechanism to be able to defuse some of these
issues as they occur,” he added.

For its part, China seems to believe the United States is
overreacting. Previous statements from Beijing claim its vessels
did nothing out of the ordinary, while Chinese media called out
the Cowpens as a “threat.”

"During the encounter, the Chinese naval vessel strictly
followed protocol and handled (the incident) appropriately,"
said a statement by the Chinese defense ministry, according to
AFP.

Still, General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the U.S. Joint
Chiefs of Staff, followed Hagel and stated that American and
Chinese officials are currently drafting rules of engagement for
the two countries to follow in the event of another encounter.
The rules would cover meetings at sea, in the air, and in
cyberspace, and Dempsey said the two nations are “making some
progress.”

Tensions in East Asia have spiked ever since China declared a new
air defense identification zone (ADIZ) that encompasses islands
claimed by both Japan and Beijing. The U.S. does not take a stand
on the dispute over the land – known as “Senkaku” in Japan and
“Daioyu” in China – but it does recognize Japan’s right to
administer the islands.

In response to the ADIZ declaration, America and its allies have
refused to recognize China’s new zone, with the U.S.
flying two B-52 bombers through the area without notifying
Beijing. For safety reasons, the U.S. has advised domestic
airlines to comply with China’s new rules.

South Korea has also moved to establish a new ADIZ in response to China, including
the disputed Ieodo rock formation (known as “Suyan” in China)
within its reach. Beijing is concerned the United States and its
allies are following a strategy of containment regarding its rise
as a global power, though American officials, including President
Obama, have denied the claim.